Fabric covered aircraft typically have ‘zillions’ of 4-3/4 inch diameter inspection covers sewn into the fabric, so its easier to inspect them than other types of wing. Every now and again they get completely stripped and recovered too, providing total access for periodic inspection.
Its more challenging to inspect a completely wood wing, for instance on a Bellanca Viking or the Pioneer, but type specialists have techniques to do it. The Bellanca actually has an enviable record for structural integrity, substantially better than the Bonanza over the same long period. They do have problems if they’re not stored well, so those problems are apparently caught before causing accidents.
Peter, there is little doubt that had the Robin that hit the hay bales been inspected by anyone with a passing knowlage of structures it would not have been released for flight until detailed inspection had been carried out.
Had the underwing inspection panel been removed the damage to the ribs would have been clear, at that point fabric would have had to be removed to repair the ribs, at that point it would have been imposable to not see the spar damage.
Much is made of the difficulty of inspection when it comes to wood or composite structure, using the correct techniques these structures can be safely inspected however it takes a lot more knowlage to spot problems than it does with metal structure.
Unfortunately, there won´t be an accident investigation. A shame on my opinion.
Why not? Is that an Italian thing? There would certainly be an investigation in the UK.
It’s an annex II aircraft, investigation is up to each country. Same in France, they investigate microlights accidents on a discretionary basis.
I’m told the LAA do not consider the accident to be a matter of concern for the UK P300 fleet.
It depends a bit on the registration. Since two people died, the Accident would be investigated, if it was on German Registration.
However, word has it that the Pioneer was flown beyond MTOM and broke during the pull up from a low pass beyond VNE. No secured data, just rumours in other forums. They supposedly pulled 6g and overloaded the structure well beyond ultimate load.
It was on the Austrian register D-MAAP.
In my photo collection I find a photo of that plane (and another like it) that I took with great interest in the hangar at Zell am See in 2009. Brings it closer to home.
Since two people died, the Accident would be investigated, if it was on German Registration.
Good for you! Last year there was a fatal accident with an Annex II aerobatic aircraft in Sweden. There was no investigation since there is no obligation to investigate and the Accident Investigation Authority wasn’t interested. There were apparently some things that pointed to pilot incapacitation but no one will ever know…
